In a conventional umbrella, the upper ends of ribs are pivotally connected to the upper end of a shaft and the outer ends of stays or struts are pivotally connected to the ribs intermediate their length while the inner ends are pivotally connected to a sleeve which is slidable on the shaft between a closed position in which the ribs and stays lie along side the shaft and an open position in which the stays support the ribs in extended position. The ribs are usually flexible and the cover is fashioned so that the ribs are bowed when in open position. When the umbrella is in closed position the cover lies in loose folds around the shaft and ribs. In order to make the umbrella look somewhat neater when closed, a small strap is attached to the cover near its periphery so that the folds of the cover can be wrapped around the shaft and ribs and secured by the strap. In some instances there is provided an elongated pocket-like sheath of fabric, leather or plastic into which the closed umbrella can be inserted to provide a neater appearance.
It has also been proposed to connect the inner ends of the ribs of an umbrella pivotally to the upper end of a rod which is longitudinally movable in a tube. The inner ends of the stays are pivotally connected to a slide which is longitudinally slidable on the rod and urged downwardly by a spring. The rod is movable longitudinally in the tube by means of an external sleeve which is connected to the rod by a bridge extending through a slot in the tube. When the rod is moved upwardly so that it projects above the tube, the stays support the ribs in extended position much as in a conventional umbrella. When the rod is moved downwardly to the lower end of the tube the stays, ribs and cover are retracted into the tube. While of neater appearance in closed position than a conventional umbrella, the construction is somewhat complex so that it is more expensive to construct and less dependable in its operation. Moreover, in open position it suffers from the same defect as a conventional umbrella in that it can be turned inside-out by the wind.